A Christmas Story
by Sassybratt
Summary: AU: Sometimes its the quieter moments that speak the loudest. A story of love, laughter, and friendship carried through the years during the most wonderful season of all. Full of fluff and Christmas cheer. Interconnecting One-shots. InuKag MirSan
1. Winter Wonderland

**A/N:** All right, kiddies. Here is another story from me. This will be a series of interconnected one-shots centered around Inu/Kag and always staged during the Christmas season. I have approximately 30 chapters planned out, so it's going to be a tad on the long side. However, I will only be updating this fic during the holiday season. That means that if I don't finish this story by the end of the year (which is unlikely at this point), then it will be on hiatus until December of next year. It may be slow with updates, as it seems difficult to find the Christmas spirit these days, but I promise to do my best to get it done as quickly as possible. Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think!

As always, thank you to my amazing beta Evervescent. She is simply lovely :)

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 1: **Winter Wonderland

The crisp, white snow had smothered summer. It appeared as if somebody laid a sparkling white sheet over what was once green grass and put it to bed. Naked winter trees lined the avenue and there was a freezing chill in the air that brought crispness to the leaves, bejeweled with frost, that crunched underfoot.

Inuyasha Taisho hunched his shoulders to fight off the cold as his breath raised in visible puffs to join the grey-clouded sky. Rosy cheeked, he stamped to keep warm, pulling his woolen hat snugger over his silver-haired head and tightening his purple scarf around his blue-tinged lips.

He was not a fan of winter. The wind howled through the desolate neighborhood, biting at his frozen skin. The bleak grey clouds overhead reflected perfectly his grey mood inside. The days became shorter, the nights became longer, and the dampness crept into his bones and made them ache for summer again. The world seemed to lie barren and lifeless before him, as if God Himself had put it to sleep.

"Keh," came a muffled grunt beneath his scarf. Damn his half-brother for being too preoccupied with his girlfriend, and damn his father for working late as per usual. Inuyasha had quickly become the man of the house at the tender age of thirteen, left to care for his sickly mother. He loved the woman dearly, of course, but it was rather troublesome to go trudging out into the snowy depths simply to take the trash out.

His teeth chattered as the bitter cold seeped into his gloves and numbed his fingers until they ceased to bend properly, stiffened and frigid. It had to be below zero out – he may have been exaggerating a tiny bit – because he should not have gotten _this_ cold _this_ fast.

Thin frozen puddles cracked under his winter boots as he hauled the trash bag into the container at the end of his driveway. Streetlights were misty in the light snowfall descending from the sky. Ice gently blanketed the sidewalks and streets. The faint glow of the sun attempted to peak through the clouds without success as the snowflakes danced and pranced in the cold air. Winter was a wonderland.

Or so most would like to think.

Inuyasha just thought it was cold.

"Snowball fight!" someone shouted, causing his head to snap to attention.

A split second after the obligatory warning, a snowball exploded from the front of his winter jacket. Immediately, he knew the fight was on: duck and cover, build a stash, and keep his head down. Inuyasha quickly dived and rolled behind his mother's car.

His woolen gloves picked up snow like they wanted to be snowballs themselves, frozen crystals dangling from wild loose fibers he never noticed. Already, the coldness of the snow chilled his fingers to the point where they no longer wanted to work. But cold or not, a snowball fight was a snowball fight, and he didn't give in. Ever.

Snowball fights were all the rage on their street. Inuyasha and his friends versus the girls in the neighborhood. There were mornings they used to wake up early just to build a bigger stack than the opposing team. Since they were pretty much all lousy shots, having ammo was the key. However, as the years passed and they grew older, they resulted to sneak attacks instead. It made things more interesting.

Soon, another icy ball hit the side of the car he was hiding behind and another whistled through the air just above his head. Childish laughter echoed from all around him, as he tried to pinpoint where his assailant was coming from. A stupid grin plastered over his face as he took his first snowball and whipped his arm back to send it flying toward the back of a blue-jacket kid.

"Hey!" the boy shouted upon impacted.

Inuyasha laughed as the kid turned around to glare at him. "Take that, Miroku!"

The young boy with dark hair narrowed his eyes. "Inuyasha, I'm on your team!"

"Then what are you doing on the other side of the street?" he called, ducking as another snowball nearly clipped him in the shoulder. Another shout from Miroku determined he had been hit, before a flurry of crunching snow indicated he was running across the yard toward him.

Miroku crouched down next to him, holding his gloved hands over his head. "The girls are really feisty this year," he commented with a smile.

Inuyasha continued to pack ammo together. "Shut up and start making snowballs," he directed. "I'm not about to let them win."

"Oh?" Miroku questioned with a raised brow and a grin. "You mean like last time?"

Amber eyes glared daggers, effectively muting him, as they prepared to attack. A few minutes were spent in silence as they prepared their ammo, before Inuyasha suddenly paused. His eyes scanned the open lawn behind them, watching and waiting for movement.

Noticing his friend's delay, Miroku turned hesitant eyes upon him. "What is it, Inuyasha?"

"Shut up," he hissed. "It's quiet."

Miroku glanced around. "So?"

"It's too quiet," he corrected. "The girls are up to something."

Recognition dawned on his face as Miroku halted in making his latest snowball to peak his head over the hood of the car. Without warning, a snowball hit him square in the face, causing him to tumble backward from the impact.

"Direct hit!" someone called out. Inuyasha glanced up to see his neighbor pumping a fist in the air. "That was so worth it!"

"See? I told you, Sango," a raven-haired girl laughed as she poked her head around a tree. "Patience is a virtue."

Smirking, as the girls had clearly divulged their hiding spots, Inuyasha sent a few snowballs hurdling toward them. One hit Sango on the back of the neck, while Kagome got hit in the leg. Both girls screeched and dived for cover as Inuyasha whooped. "Serves you right!" he cackled before ducking his head again.

Sango was a tomboy at heart, and always tended to best him when it came to snowball fights. She was quick on her feet and had great aim thanks to years of softball. However, it was Kagome who was his key opponent. Quiet and petite, she tended to launch a sneak attack when he wasn't paying attention, and then dashed away before he could get his bearings.

The fight intensified. The best thing Inuyasha knew he could do right now was taunt them into releasing all their missiles and then run out into the open with his. It worked like a charm every time.

"Come and get me!" he bellowed, dashing across his yard to the tree in front, dipping and dodging as snowballs flew by him, narrowly missing their intended target. Miroku lagged behind, catching most of the onslaught, as he attempted to dodge as swiftly as his friend. Unfortunately, Miroku preferred to make nice with the girls rather than run track with the boys. It was one of his many shortcomings.

Hours later, a snowball fight in the fading light was how they finished the day. Inuyasha was quietly sneaking through the neighborhood, tracking Kagome's movements. The teams had paired off, and he could faintly hear Sango and Miroku's battle occurring a few houses down.

Inuyasha poked his head out from behind a tree, watching and waiting. Kagome had currently ducked down behind an old truck. He had her cornered. But knowing her, she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Come on out, Kagome," he taunted. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."

There was silence. And then, without warning, she bounced to her feet with a hastily fashioned weapon sitting in her brown woolen glove. She wore the same face she had when she had him beat in scrabble, but this was no war of words and he fought dirty – all in the name of "fun" of course.

Her snowball sailed through the air, but he shielded himself with the tree effortlessly. He had snowball fights down to a science; best snowball size, best snowball density, just the right swing in his throwing arm.

"I'm gonna get you, Inuyasha!" she promised fiercely, her eyes sharp but her smile wide. "You can't hide behind there forever!"

There was a nagging voice telling him to let her win, that it would be better in the long run, especially with that cute little face she was giving him and the confidence in her voice. But he just couldn't. Snowball fights were a war and wars just had to be won.

Swift as the wind, he dashed from his hiding spot straight toward the old truck. Kagome shrieked at his surprise attack and fumbled through the snow to escape. He ran after her, pursued her, listening as she screamed and pleaded with him to stop, all the while laughing.

He smirked, holding a large snowball in his hand as he drew closer and closer to her. This one was going to be the end of her, he knew it, and so he relished the chase. Her raven hair blew wildly in the wind, tearing her green knit hat from her head and falling somewhere behind them. He raced after her across the neighborhood, dashing through lawns and avoiding the snowball fight currently happening between their other friends.

After a few minutes, he was within arms' reach. Gently, he reached out and grabbed her around the waist. She screeched with laughter as she fought against him.

"P-Please Inuyasha!" she urged. "Let me go!"

"Sure thing," he whispered in her ear. "I'll let you go. After all, I don't take prisoners."

With those words, he shoved his snowball down the back of her neck, earning a satisfying shriek from the girl in his arms. She pushed and pulled against him, fighting to break free in order to save herself from the cold slowly seeping down her back.

Inuyasha cackled, watching as she struggled in vain. "Guess I win this round, huh?"

Abruptly, she stilled in his arms. He grinned, thinking she had finally given up, but when she didn't move, he began to worry. His lips slowly pulled into a frown and he began to wonder if maybe he had gone too far. Maybe he was pushing the limits by forcing a handful of snow down her shirt.

"Uh, Kagome?" he questioned hesitantly, loosening his grip on her. "You okay?"

The sound of sobbing met his ears and his eyes widened in alarm. She was crying?! Kagome knelt down in the snow and ducked her head, her shoulder shaking as she wept.

"Wait. Kagome," Inuyasha tried, reaching out to touch her but pausing before he made contact. "I-I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it."

When she continued to weep, he crouched down in the snow beside her. "Kagome?"

All of a sudden, her hand came up at an alarming speed, smacked against his collar bone, and then suddenly there was cold seeping down the front of his chest. He blinked once, then again, his brain trying to catch up to what just occurred.

"Holy shit!" he cried out, jumping to his feet and clawing at his jacket, trying without success to alleviate the frigid ice running down his stomach. "Holy shit is that cold!"

Kagome started giggling, causing him to jerk his head toward her, confused by her reaction. "Y-you should have seen your face!" she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand and pointing at him with her other one. "Oh my— Inu-Inuyasha!"

He narrowed his eyes. "You think this is funny?" he grumbled, taking a threatening step toward her.

She shook her head negatively, but her expression said otherwise. "You deserved it," she reasoned, fearless brown eyes staring up at him. She crossed her arms over her chest. "That is not how you treat a lady."

Inuyasha raised his brows. "Oh, is that so?"

He treaded toward her, arms outstretched, with a confident grin on his face. Kagome held out her hands, waving them dismissively in an attempt to ward of his attack, but it was all in vain. Soon, he had tackled her to the ground and straddled her stomach.

She giggled as he pinned her down. "Beg for mercy," he commanded, grinning down at her.

Kagome looked up at him, still laughing, as fresh frozen flurries fell gently into her midnight black hair spread around her head, a stark contrast to the pure white of the snow surrounding them. Her cheeks were flushed prettily and her eyes sparkled with a fiery spirit. Small puffs of air escaped her pale lips as she tried to catch her breath.

"Never," she whispered defiantly.

He opened his mouth to respond, intent on making her pay for all of her insolence, but was interrupted by a woman's voice.

"Kagome!" her mother called from a few houses down. "Time to come inside!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he reluctantly released the girl. "Keh, go see what your mom wants." He disentangled himself and sat down in the snow, leaning back on his hands.

She lay still for a moment, watching him intently, before finally bracing herself on her knees. "It's getting late," she pointed out, glancing up at the darkening sky. Sango and Miroku were currently wading through the snow toward them, more than likely hearing Ms. Higurashi's call as well.

"Yeah," he replied half-heartily, amber eyes shifting to his own house a few yards down. The windows were all dark, making it seem cold and unwelcoming.

Kagome pushed herself to stand and held out her hand. "Come on. Let's go warm up with some hot chocolate."

He eyed her hand, hesitating for a moment, before wrapping his own around hers. "I don't want those little marshmallow things in it though," he commented gruffly as they began walking toward her home.

She laughed, looping her arm through his. "That's the best part!" she argued playfully.

Inuyasha shook his head, glancing away to hide his smile.


	2. Jingle Bell Rock

**A/N:** The titles for each chapter are based on the song that inspired them.

I can't thank my beta, Evervescent, enough for her brilliant editing jobs. Please, I'm telling you, go check her out because you will love her.

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 2: **Jingle Bell Rock

Kagome's agate eyes glanced up as she craned her neck to gaze upon the magnificent Christmas tree Sango's family had in their living room. It was certainly tall (it must have taken at least six men to lug it back to the house) and embellished with maroon and silver garland, twinkling every now and then from the white lights. Beautiful ornaments hung from the branches, each swaying gently and shimmering under the dimmed lights.

Presents were crowded beneath the tree, wrapped in red, silver, or green, varying in size, with large ribbons on top. Name tags hung off them, written with love and adoration. Kagome smiled, noticing her name on a few of them. Although presents were nice, they were not her favorite part of the holiday.

No, her favorite part was much simpler. She loved that the season was one of utter bliss. Warmth and kindness permeated and the excited smiles of children warmed the frosty air. The season always ignited her senses, and sparked youthfulness in even the elderly. The magic of the season brought people together from corners of the globe. Christmas was not only a time for excitement, but also one for serenity. Christmas was like the last crackling embers of a fire as the year drew to a close.

"Hey," Inuyasha greeted, coming to stand beside her.

Kagome smiled, not taking her eyes off the Christmas tree, and sighed deeply. "I love Christmas."

"Keh," he scoffed with an eye roll. "You're like Mother Christmas over here."

She narrowed her eyes and threw him a playful glare. "Is that such a bad thing?"

He shrugged. "Suppose not."

"Hey you two!" Sango called, meeting up with them in the middle of the living room. She handed Kagome a cup of hot chocolate, complete with the little marshmallows. "How's it going?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Where's my cup of cocoa?"

"You don't like the marshmallows," Sango pointed out. "You don't deserve any."

Kagome giggled, curling her hands around the warm mug and breathing in the chocolaty scent. "The marshmallows are the best part."

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "So you've said."

"Love the sweater, Inuyasha," Miroku chuckled, entering the living room and taking a seat on the arm rest of the sofa. "It really brings out your, er, eyes?"

Inuyasha scowled and glowered at his friend. "Do you want to die today, Miroku?" he snarled sharply, clenching his hand into a fist to prove his point.

Miroku held up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying, you should dress like this more often. I'm sure the ladies would love it."

Sango smirked, eyeing the red and green sweater that currently adorned Inuyasha, complete with balls of cotton and all. "Tell me again why you're wearing it exactly?" she questioned, trying to stifle a laugh.

Heated amber eyes turned in her direction. "My mother made it for me. Got a problem with that?"

"Not at all," Kagome soothed, placing a hand on his arm. "I think it's very sweet of your mother to make you a gift. And it looks great on you."

She was being genuine, but Miroku couldn't take it, and practically fell off the couch laughing so hard. Sango quickly hit him upside the head before Inuyasha had the chance. "Give it a rest," she ordered, shaking her head before finishing off her cup of cocoa.

Just then, their families entered the living room, everyone full from Christmas dinner. Sango's mother smiled as she placed a lit candle upon the fireplace, allowing the aroma of fresh pine to fill their senses. Allured by the scent of freshly baked Christmas cookies, Kagome turned to see her brother enter with a tray of baked goods, fresh out of the oven thanks to their mother.

Sango's father cleared his throat, taking his place by the warmth of the grand fireplace. He patiently waited for everyone to find their place, before raising his glass of champagne in a toast.

"Christmas is a good time; a kind, forgiving, generous, pleasant time; a time in which men and women open their hearts freely to strangers. I am thankful to see all of my dear friends this evening, and that no matter how much distance the years bring us, we are still able to come together on this one holiday. Here's wishing you all more happiness than my words can tell, not just alone for Christmas, but for the rest of the year as well. God bless us."

Shouts of "God Bless" rang through the room as everyone raised their glass of champagne, eggnog, or hot cocoa in a toast to friendship and family. Then suddenly music filled the space and dancing commenced.

Kagome watched with a smile as Sango's parents began to waltz across the living room floor. They were quickly followed by her own mother led by young Souta, and the Taisho's. Inuyasha's mother was pale and sickly, much thinner than she should have been. But her eyes still sparkled and a soft smile caressed her lips. Mr. Taisho grasped her hand tenderly and slowly stepped across the living room floor.

"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome prodded, taking his hand and giving it an insistent pull. "Dance with me."

He scoffed and stood his ground. "Not on your life," he grumbled. "I wouldn't be caught dead doin' that."

Her lips pulled into a pout as her eyes turned pleading. "Why not?" she whined, hoping to convince him.

"Inuyasha doesn't know how to dance," Miroku said matter-of-factly, appearing beside Kagome. "Shall we?" He bowed low at the waist and held out his hand for her to take.

She grinned at his gesture and curtsied as she laughed. "We shall."

Inuyasha watched as Miroku pulled Kagome to the dance floor, spinning her under the sparkling lights of the Christmas tree. Kagome's eyes shone brightly as she placed her hand in his; he placed his hand on her waist, and whisked her onto the dance floor. They turned and twirled as if they were professionals, with Miroku leading each precise step.

Kagome's laughter echoed through the room. Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and leaned up against the wall, his amber eyes carefully watching his friends. "You know," Sango said from beside him, sipping on her hot cocoa gingerly. "If you didn't want Miroku to dance with her, you should've just taken her up on her offer."

"As if," Inuyasha grumbled, shrugging off her words. "What does it matter what Kagome does? I'm not her keeper."

Sango gave him a pointed look. "Please, it's obvious to everyone that the two of you are going to end up together some day."

A heated blush crept into Inuyasha's cheeks as he averted his gaze. "Keep dreamin'," he scoffed. "Kagome and I are just friends. She's like my sister."

She rolled her eyes and giggled. "Whatever you say, Inuyasha."

Grumbling incoherently, he pushed off the wall and stormed to the kitchen, hell bent on getting himself a cup of hot cocoa, _without the little marshmallows._ Sango was just seeing things. There was nothing going on between him and Kagome. Simple as that.

A couple hours later, the party had winded down as everyone bid their farewells and headed toward their homes. Sango stood at the doorway as Kagome shrugged on her jacket with Inuyasha waiting just outside for her.

"You get her home safe, Inuyasha," Sango called with a silly grin. "You hear? Otherwise I'll have your head."

Inuyasha waved a hand over his head with acknowledgement before shoving them into the pockets of his jacket to keep warm. Kagome giggled as she wrapped her scarf around her neck. "We'll be fine, Sango," she assured. "I'm only a few houses down."

She shrugged. "I know. I just like teasing him. I'll see you later."

Kagome reached in for a hug. "Merry Christmas, Sango."

"Same to you," she replied as they pulled away.

With a final wave, Kagome exited the house as Sango closed the door behind her. She jogged to catch up with Inuyasha, who was already a house away. "Wait up," she hollered as she met up with him, shoving her mitten clad hands in her jacket. "What's the rush?"

"No rush. You just take forever," he barbed.

She frowned and furrowed her brows. "Maybe you should have more patience."

"Keh, you just have too good of a time when it comes to these parties."

"Oh?" she questioned incredulously. "And that's a bad thing?"

He crossed his arms behind his head and shrugged. "Why didn't you have Miroku walk you home? You seemed to be having a great time with him."

Kagome paused in walking and gave him a wide-eyed look. "Inuyasha…" she began, trying to wrap her mind around his words. "Are you… Are you _jealous?"_

A blush dusted his cheeks. "Hell no. What would I have to be jealous for?"

She laughed as she skipped up beside him. "You are, aren't you?" she interrogated. "Inuyasha, please, there's no need to be jealous." She pulled at his arm and held his hand in hers. "You're my best friend. Nothing is ever going to change that."

He smiled softly as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Sango's words from earlier came to mind, but he quickly dismissed them with a small shake of his head. They were friends, nothing more. Even Kagome had agreed.

But he couldn't help the warmth that pooled in his stomach and the way his heart palpitated against his chest.

They arrived at Kagome's doorstep minutes later. "Thank you for walking me home, Inuyasha," she said.

"No problem," he replied, his amber eyes glowing in the darkness. He stood so close to her he could see the small puffs of their breath dance with one another between them.

Kagome grinned up at him, watching as snowflakes melted into his hair and disappearing in his mane of silver. "Well, I guess I should go in," she mumbled. "You get home safe, okay?"

"Kagome, wait," he suddenly called.

She eyed him hesitantly. "What is it?"

He averted his gaze and seemed to be fumbling for words. "I… uh… I have something for you."

Eyebrows raised with surprise. "For me?"

Inuyasha swallowed thickly. He pulled a small package from inside his pocket and handed it to her. "My mother made it for me years ago. I thought you might like it."

Her eyes questioned him as she delicately took the package. The wrapping job was horrible, and she hid a smile from the boy who had done it. What was inside, though, took her breath away.

The Christmas ornament wasn't nearly as fancy as the ones in the store. It wasn't all that modern, and truth be told, the face had smudges of dirt. It was an angel fashioned from beige cloth and denim, the wings on the back had once been shiny but had become dulled with age.

Kagome knew it should've been thrown out long ago, replaced with something that sparkled. But dirt was not the only thing this little angel had accumulated. It was soaked in memories, drenched in happy times, a bridge back to the years gone by. Each stitch had been sewn by his mother before she had become so sick. And Inuyasha had entrusted her with it.

Tears came to her eyes. "You're giving this to me?" she questioned quietly.

He nodded, watching her reaction carefully.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Thank you, Inuyasha. This means so much."

"Keh," he replied. "It's nothin' really."

A small imperceptible smile found its way to his lips, as he wrapped his arms around her in return.


	3. Spirit of the Season

**A/N:** Be kind, and check out my beta Evervescent. Her work is simply to die for.

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 3: **Spirit of the Season

"Come on, Inuyasha!"

Kagome pulled on the sleeve of his jacket insistently. He shot her an annoyed look as he slipped on his winter boots. "I'm comin'," he grumbled in return, as she tugged on his elbow again.

She worried her bottom lip nervously as her eyes kept stealing glances at the time. "We're going to be so late!" she reminded him with a groan. "We're going to miss it."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he stood and grabbed his scarf off the hook in the entry way. "We are _not_ gonna miss it," he assured. "We have plenty of time."

"We have fifteen minutes!" Kagome emphasized sharply, tugging open the front door and allowing the chilly winter air to bite at her cheeks. "I bet Sango and Miroku are already there."

"Great, they can save us a good spot," he said with a smirk, receiving a glare from the girl in front of him.

He closed the door behind him and shuffled out into the snow. Stars illuminated the night sky and he could clearly see his breath fogging in the frigid air. The entire street was pristine and white thanks to the snowfall hours earlier. Even the dark green of the pines was mostly coated in crystalline snow.

Inuyasha could have stood there drinking it all in, listening to the silence that hung so thickly in the air, but the girl ahead of him wasn't about to hear of it. Cheeks flushed pink from the cold, Kagome spun on her heel to face him and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

"Inuyasha, _come on_ ," she prodded again, narrowing her eyes as she pouted.

Despite Kagome's frustration, he grinned. With each step, he heard the soft crunch underfoot as he hurried to catch up to the impatient girl. "I'm coming," he called, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck.

It was nearly midnight on the last day of November. Every year the entire town gathered together on this day, and when the clock in the square settled on the twelve, the dazzling Christmas tree in the center would light up the night, officially announcing the arrival of December first.

This was a tradition they had been accustomed to since they were kids, and Kagome was hell bent on being there in time for the lighting of the tree every year. Every. Single. Year. Inuyasha wasn't always a fan, as it usually fell on a school night, which meant he would have to drag his ass out of bed the next morning with barely a wink of sleep. He would much rather ditch school altogether on those days, but Kagome wouldn't allow it.

However, he simply had never been able to deny her infectious smile when she rang his doorbell each year. Her cheeks were always rosy from the short walk in the cold between their houses, and her knit hat was so loose fitting it almost always covered her eyes.

Inuyasha caught up to her and they walked in silence for a few moments. His eyes glanced around the quiet street, noting the dark houses and those that only had a flickering candle in the window. By this time tomorrow, most would be glowing with holiday lights, and the stars would cease to be visible for a month. Icicles hung from roof eaves as the shingles glittered with ice-white powder.

Kagome sighed beside him, catching his attention. "I can't wait," she chirped, sniffling against the cold. "It's going to be so pretty."

"Yeah," Inuyasha gruffly replied.

She gave him a sideways glance, catching onto his lack of enthusiasm. "You didn't have to come, you know."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Of course I did," he grumbled. "You wouldn't leave me alone about it."

Her lips pulled into a frown. "Fine. Go home then. I'll just go with Miroku and Sango."

Inuyasha shoved his hands into his pockets. "We're already half-way there," he pointed out. "No sense in turning back now."

"You are such a scrooge," she grumbled under her breath before quickening her pace.

Noticing her attitude, Inuyasha groaned and fought to keep up with her. Of all the things to get upset about, Kagome surely picked the littlest of things. Seriously, what did he do this time? He was here, wasn't he?

They made it to the town square with a minute to spare and found Miroku and Sango in the crowd easily enough. Kagome grinned as she stepped up beside their friends, opposite of Inuyasha. He found a spot next to Miroku and must have had a sour look on his face, for the other boy addressed him.

"What's bugging you?" he asked, stamping his feet to keep warm against the cold.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

Miroku glanced between him and Kagome as his eyes widened with realization. He grinned. "What'd you do this time?"

"I didn't do nothin'," Inuyasha spat out defensively.

"Sure," he agreed, although his voice dripped with sarcasm.

Frowning, Inuyasha hunched his shoulders to fight off the chill, deciding to stay silent. Around them, the other townsfolk chanted as they began counting down from ten. Amber eyes glanced over to see Kagome with her mitten-clad hands clenched into fists with excitement, her voice loud and clear through the night.

Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

Simultaneously, bright lights lit up the entire square. The seventy-foot tall Christmas tree towered over them, sparkling with thousands of multi-colored bulbs. The tinsel glittered brightly and red ribbons danced upon the branches, rustled gently with the cold breeze. Ornaments of red, green, and silver caught the lights, sending an array of colors upon the snow. At the very top, a large, twelve-pointed star glowed, glistening with its flash-silver luster.

Inuyasha stole a look at Kagome and his breath halted in his throat. She smiled brightly, her eyes shining from the lights of the tree, mesmerized as she gazed upward at the beauty of it all. Puffs of air escaped her lips as she clasped her hands over her chest.

Feeling his gaze, she turned toward him and smiled, pushing passed their friends to come to his side. "Isn't it beautiful, Inuyasha?" she questioned, peering up at him.

It seemed all annoyance from earlier had already been forgotten. He opened his mouth to reply, but his words stuck in his throat. She blinked as she waited, allowing her eyelashes to flutter like the wings of a butterfly. Her brown eyes were like a piping hot mug of hot chocolate after a day of playing in the snow. They were warm and comforting, and as bright as the night sky.

"Uh, yeah," he finally responded lamely.

Kagome took no notice, though, and instead looped her arm through his. She sighed deeply, once more admiring the scene in front of them. He felt his heart race in his chest as her warmth sank through his jacket into his very bones.

Quiet as a breath, it began to snow.


	4. Baby Its Cold Outside

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long to get out. I've been picking up a lot of extra hours at work. Unfortunately, this will be the last update until next holiday season. I will try to work on this story in my spare time between now and then, and hopefully I'll be quicker with the updates next December. Hope you enjoy this chapter! See you next year!

Thank you, as always, to my amazing beta Evervescent. If you haven't checked her out yet, you need to. Right after this chapter.

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 4:** Baby its Cold Outside

The wind howled, piling up snow in drifts, and blinding the night with ice-white dust. Kagome shuffled down the street, bent over against the cold, protecting her eyes with her arms. Trees loomed in her vision, then vanished, swallowed in white.

It had been snowing nonstop all day. The temperature had dropped way below freezing, and the blast of cold air stung every time it hit her skin. She blinked and brought her mitten-clad hands to her lips, blowing a breath of warm air into them. It had to be one of the coldest winters yet, and it was only the end of December. The frigid air bit sharply into her cheeks and numbed her nose. She would have rather been curled up by the warmth of the fire while sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

Unfortunately, there were more pressing matters to attend to. Dismal, brown eyes glanced up at the house towering in front of her. All the windows were dark even though it was Christmas Eve. She felt her heart ache beneath her chest. Inuyasha hadn't been heard from in a few weeks and she was beginning to worry.

His mother had passed away from illness a few months before, rocking their quiet neighborhood. Izayoi had always been so kind and sweet. Everyone loved her. Her death was a heavy loss on all of them. But Inuyasha… he took it the hardest.

Kagome gnawed her bottom lip as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Her best friend had been pretty absent from her life since then, and she tried to understand what he was going through. Her own father passed away years ago, but she had been so young at the time, she barely remembered him.

She had already tried giving Inuyasha his space so he could grieve, but when he didn't seem to be getting any better, she grew concerned. Sighing deeply, she reached out and rang the doorbell, hoping someone would answer so she could at least find shelter from the cold.

A few minutes passed before the door finally opened and there stood Inuyasha, looking worse for wear. His clothes were wrinkled and stained; his silver hair was unkempt; and bags hung under his eyes. An expression of stunned surprise overcame him as he recognized Kagome's frozen form.

"K-Kagome?" he questioned, simultaneously opening the door wider and stepping aside to let her in from the cold. "What are you doing here?"

She shuddered as the warmth of his home came over her. "I was worried about you," she muffled through the thick fabric of her scarf. She slowly began to peel away all the layers of her clothes as he shut the door behind her.

Inuyasha frowned and folded his arms over his chest as he watched her. "It's a blizzard out there. What were you thinking?" he chastised softly.

She shrugged as she hung up her coat on a hook. "I was thinking that I hadn't heard from you in a while."

"So?" he replied hotly. "You could've called you know."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "Why? So you could not answer? Or better yet, hang up on me like you did last time?"

He looked down and to the side, avoiding her gaze. "I've had a lot going on."

"So you've said." Finally free of the last of her winter gear, she sighed deeply and stepped over to where her best friend stood. She peered up at him. "I understand that you've had to deal with a lot lately. I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

"Yeah, I know," Inuyasha acknowledged.

Kagome clasped her hands together and smiled up at him affectionately.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on, you goof," he grumbled, nodding his head toward the kitchen. "Let's get you warmed up."

"Inuyasha," she began, following after him. "I don't plan on staying. I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Nonsense," he replied over his shoulder. He placed a coffee mug of water in the microwave and started the timer. Turning around, he grasped her hands in his and his eyes widened. "You're freezing."

His hands were warm and calloused around hers as he brought them to his lips and blew hot air against her fingertips. Kagome felt her heart begin to race as heat crept up the back of her neck and flushed her cheeks. "Inu-Inuyasha…?"

"You're such a fool," he mumbled quietly, his black brows furrowed. "You should've stayed home."

She frowned. "I was concerned," she reiterated.

"Keh," he scoffed, blowing another breath of air into their hands. "I can take care of myself."

Kagome exhaled deeply. "I know you can. But there's nothing wrong with accepting help once in a while."

"I don't need any help," he argued.

She frowned at his response. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Ever since he was a boy, he had always kept everyone at a distance, including herself. Why couldn't he just let her in? Why couldn't he allow her to see him openly and completely?

Quickly pulling her hands free from his, she began walking back toward the foyer. "I'm going home," she stated quietly.

Her cool response immediately grabbed his attention. "What? Kagome, wait!" Inuyasha pleaded as he chased after her. "Why?"

"My mom will start to worry if I'm not home soon."

"It's a complete whiteout," he said, gesturing to the front window. "I'm sure your mom would prefer if you stayed."

Kagome lifted her eyes to his and watched him carefully. Soft wisps of silver hair swept past his ears and caressed the skin of his neck, jaw, cheeks, and around his beautiful, deep eyes. Those honey-glass eyes seemed to bore into her every time she looked into them.

These feelings weren't new to her. She wasn't sure when he began to evoke such emotion within her, but now it was a normal thing. Her heart would race every time his voice reached her ears, she profusely blushed anytime his skin brushed against hers, and each time those amber eyes glanced her way she nearly lost herself.

Over the years, she had slowly learned to read him through the emotions that danced like fire, licking the walls of honey-glass. Suffering, longing, desire; his eyes held all those deep seated emotions and many more. However, sometimes, like today, the fire dwindled down to smoldering ember and even she, who had gotten to know every part of the boy before her, could not tell what emotions were soaring just beyond those walls.

Relenting to the insistence in his tone and letting go of her annoyance, she sighed. "Okay, but only for a bit."

The pair once again made their way to the kitchen just as the timer for the microwave dinged. Inuyasha poured some hot cocoa mix into the mug and stirred it before handing it to her. "Here drink this," he instructed. "It's hot, so be careful."

She curled her hands around the mug and peered into the piping hot cocoa. A soft smile came to her lips. "There are little marshmallows," she commented tenderly.

Inuyasha placed his hands on his hips as a light blush dusted his cheeks. "Uh, yeah. You like those, right?"

"Mhm," she mumbled, taking a sip of the scalding liquid.

"Come on," he said, venturing off toward the living room.

Kagome followed without protest, too caught up in the taste of chocolate warming her tongue. When she entered the room, the first thing she noticed was the large, elegant Christmas tree that had always been in the corner was absent. There were no holiday lights or twinkling stars to speak of. She stopped short, her wide eyes glancing over the space, feeling heartsick by how barren the room was.

Inuyasha moved to the fireplace and began placing logs on the grate, which seemed to have been rarely used this year. The hearth was absent of stockings that had previously hung with care, and no candles flickered softly in the night. There wasn't even a present to be seen even though it was Christmas Eve.

She took a few hesitant steps toward her friend, watching him carefully. "Inuyasha," she acknowledged quietly.

He tilted his head toward her in recognition, but didn't stop what he was doing.

Kagome opened her mouth, intent on questioning him on why there were no decorations, but abruptly stopped herself. She worried her bottom lip. Inuyasha's mother had died. His workaholic father had always been pretty absent from his life and his half-brother was no better. It pretty much had always been Inuyasha and his mom. Now she was gone.

She smiled sadly and moved to sit on the couch. "What were you doing? I mean, before I came over."

Inuyasha shrugged as he worked to light a match. "Nothin' much. Just watching some TV upstairs."

Nodding slowly, she was unsure as to how to reply. His mother had always been the one to embellish their home with lights and ornaments for the holidays. Izayoi would play cheerful music and her voice had raised high into the ceiling as she sang along. Even though she had been sick for a while, she always seemed livelier around Christmas time.

With the fire started, Inuyasha sat down on the couch beside her. "You warm enough?"

She smiled. "Yeah, feeling much better."

Half-turned to face her, he laid one arm across the back of the couch. "Did you go to Sango's this year?"

"Mhm," she mumbled as she took another sip of hot chocolate. She pulled the mug away from her lips. "We missed you."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Doubt it. Miroku probably fondled Sango again and she probably smacked him around in return. Nothing new."

She smiled. Their two best friends had recently started showing affection toward one another. Although Sango denied anything was going on between them, it was obvious to everyone that the two would end up together.

"Well, _I_ missed you." Kagome averted her gaze to her hot cocoa, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks. "It wasn't the same without you."

He was silent for a few moments. "I'm sure you didn't even notice I was gone."

"Why didn't you come?" she dared to ask, pinching her brows together.

"Just didn't feel like it," he replied gruffly.

She frowned, not really believing him. "Its tradition," she pointed out.

"Keh. Traditions change." His eyes moved to the fireplace.

They were silent for a moment. Kagome was exhausted with his evasive answers, but she also knew that the real reason he didn't show up for Christmas dinner was probably related to his mother's absence. She didn't want to push the issue if he wasn't ready to talk.

"I bet Souta is worried sick," she whispered quietly, attempting to divert the conversation in a different direction.

"About what?"

She shrugged. "Me being out in the storm. Probably wishes I stayed home with him and mom."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I told you. There was no need for you to come over."

"I guess I should be going then," she mumbled, feeling tears in her eyes. "I didn't mean to intrude."

He placed a hand on her arm. "You're not goin' anywhere."

Hesitant agate eyes glanced up. "But I—"

"No buts," he cut her off. He gestured toward the window. "It's bad out there. Knowing you, you'll probably get pneumonia and die."

Kagome scrunched up her nose at his words and glanced over at the flurry of snow blowing wildly in the wind. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Besides." He moved to grab a red-checkered blanket and placed it over her lap. "Just listen to this fire roar. Have another cup of cocoa and stay awhile."

She curled her hands tighter around the mug in her hands and rolled her eyes. She was a big girl. She could handle a little snow. Deciding to tell him just that, she turned to face him. "Inuyasha…"

Her breath halted in her throat as her voice trailed off. His eyes glazed like honey and turned into a million shades of gold as the warm glow of firelight reflected off them. He gazed at her intently, and for the first time, she could see right through to his soul.

His eyes were frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. He was in there, she knew, but it was like he just took a huge step back from life. Kagome wanted to reach in there and tell him it wasn't hopeless. She wanted to rekindle his heart, but she was sure his insides were too damp with unshed tears.

Kagome had known he had pain locked up inside, but now it was visible in his eyes and she wished she could take it away. She now realized why he was so adamant about keeping her here with him, in this big empty house.

He was lonely.

She smiled softly up at him, earning a confused look in response. "Okay," she agreed. "I can stay awhile."

Inuyasha tilted his head and raised a brow. "Huh?"

Kagome shook her head. "Never mind." She curled up next to him, snuggling into the warmth his body offered. "I just want to enjoy tonight with you."

She felt him loop his arm around her and a soft mumbled 'keh' reached her ears.


	5. All I Want for Christmas is You

A/N: You can thank Wenchster for this being completed on time. Her love for this story has single-handily fueled my writing muse. Hope you enjoy!

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 5: **All I Want for Christmas is You  
 _(Part 1 of 2)_

Kagome knew she was blushing.

She could feel the heat growing in her cheeks as she continued to stare across the room to where the object of her affections sat. Inuyasha sat at the dining room table, his face screwed in concentration, as he battled against frosting and gingerbread.

He had somehow managed to get icing everywhere, including his face and hair. He lifted his fingers to his mouth, licking them clean, and then running his tongue slowly over his lips to catch any remnants. Her heart beat quickened, and she shamelessly thought that his lips looked very kissable.

" _Kagome?"_

Biting her lip, Kagome watched in a daze as Inuyasha began to slip off his button-up shirt, grumbling something about it being one of his nicer ones, leaving his arms bare and his chest covered only by a wife-beater. She could practically feel the drool drip down her chin as he continued his work, his forearms flexing.

What she wouldn't give for him to wrap those arms around her.

" _Kagome, are you still there?"_

Sango's voice over the receiver finally startled Kagome out of her audacious musings, further deepening her blush.

"Y-Yes, I'm still here." She immediately turned around and proceeded back into the kitchen, covering her face with her hand as if to hide her rosy cheeks. "Sorry about that. What were you saying?"

" _I was saying that I won't be able to join you guys today. Since my dad and Kohaku went to the hockey game, my mom needs me to run some errands with her."_

"Oh, well that's all right," Kagome said, while simultaneously trying to cool her blush by fanning herself. It didn't help that the oven was on, making the room feel much hotter than it probably was. "I think we can survive without you this time."

" _Really?"_ Sango spoke skeptically. _"You think you'll be able to keep the boys in line?"_

Kagome pondered for a moment before smiling sheepishly. "Well, I've left them unsupervised for a few minutes and they haven't caused a disaster yet. So that's a good thing, right?"

Sango exhaled deeply on the other line. _"Well, just tell them if they don't behave, I'll castrate the both of them."_

"Sango!" Kagome shrieked, all efforts of disposing of her blush now gone to waste. "Since when have your threats become so crass?"

She could hear her chuckle on the other line. _"Since the boys stopped believing I could actually beat them up – which, by the way, I still can."_

Rolling her eyes, Kagome leaned the phone in the crook of her neck, held in place by her shoulder. "If you say so."

"Inuyasha, what the hell is _that?_ " Miroku's voice came from the dining room.

"What are you talkin' about? It's a house."

"More like a haunted mansion. Seriously, do you even know what a house looks like?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "I can do whatever the fuck I want."

"Language, boys!" Kagome called out before turning her attention back to the phone. "Look, Sango, I have to go. But call me later tonight after you're done helping your mom."

" _Will do. Good luck!"_

"Thanks," she murmured sarcastically. The girls said their goodbyes, allowing Kagome to return to her task at hand, as well as the sinful thoughts she had minutes earlier.

Even though she told Sango it was okay, she silently berated her for canceling on them, leaving her to fend for herself against Inuyasha and Miroku's usual depravity. Although, she couldn't help but wonder how much damage they could do with some icing and gingerbread.

Sighing deeply, she took a moment to pull herself together. She breathed in the aroma of that perfect blend of spicy and sweet, filling her home with warmth not just from the oven. Gumdrops, marshmallows, and coconut shavings separated, Kagome gathered up their respective bowls and proceeded toward the dining room where she was sure to find disarray.

"Hey, here are some more—" Her words cut off as she paused in the entryway.

The boys froze upon her entrance, each holding a tube of icing, and looking as if they had just been caught with their hands in Santa's cookie jar. She glanced over their makeshift masterpieces, and almost laughed at the appearance of Inuyasha's gingerbread house – which looked more like a lean-to.

But that was not what caused her to stop in her tracks. Somehow, icing was _everywhere_ ; on the table, smeared across the chairs, and even on Inuyasha's face – _again_.

"He started it!" Inuyasha called out, immediately putting down his weapon when he realized they had been caught.

" _Me?"_ Miroku rebutted with raised brows. "You're the blockhead who couldn't take a little constructive criticism!"

" _Keh!_ Who asked for your opinion?"

"I merely tried to assist in your foundation!"

The two men, faces flushed from the heat of the argument, looked absolutely ridiculous, more-so because of the entirety of the situation. Kagome couldn't even be angry with them for destroying her mother's dining room or wrecking their gingerbread experiment.

She just found it _so funny._

And she started laughing, haphazardly placing the bowls on the table as she watched their dumbfounded expressions. Inuyasha tilted his head like a puppy dog. "What're you laughing at?" he asked innocently, as if he had no clue what kind of predicament he was in.

Kagome wiped a tear from her eye and pointed to his face. "You have some icing there."

He reached up to swipe at his cheek, but missed entirely, only causing Kagome's smile to widen.

"Here," she offered, grabbing a napkin and stepping close. "Let me."

She wiped away the frosting, dabbing his face lightly, and granted him an amused smile. "Uh, thanks," he grumbled, his voice husky as a light blush warmed his cheeks.

Kagome tugged on his hair playfully, pulling another glob of frosting free. "You sure are a handful, you know that?" she murmured affectionately.

It took her a full thirty seconds to realize their noses were only a few inches apart and she could feel his warm breath caressing her skin. Her gaze wandered to his lips and her throat suddenly felt very dry.

"K-Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered, effectively snapping her out of her stupor.

Eyes wide, she pulled back, feeling heat creep up the back of her neck and flush her cheeks. "Uh, th-there you go," she fumbled, clearing her throat. "Much better."

Inuyasha blinked, as if he too had just realized what they had been doing.

Fortunately, as the awkwardness of the situation settled over them, Miroku decided to call out with, "Kagome, I have some frosting on my face, too! Can you come help me?"

Kagome turned to him, chuckling at his child-like pout and hopeful expression. "Sure."

"Clean your own damn face!" Inuyasha snapped, sending Miroku a heated glare.

"But Inuyasha, why does the beautiful Kagome get to help you and not me?"

Ignoring the insults the boys threw at each other, along with a few pieces of gingerbread and candy, Kagome worked to calm her racing heart. She sighed, watching as they bickered, and realized her school-girl crush on Inuyasha was working its way deeper into her chest, leaving her at a loss.

On the bright side, she knew one thing was for certain.

Inuyasha and Miroku would never be allowed to build gingerbread houses again.

ACS

A low hum of Christmas music played in the background, coupled with the crackle and pop of the fire in the grand hearth. The beautifully embellished tree towered over them, lights twinkling across the glossy ribbons and brightly colored paper.

Kagome pulled another piece of tape from the dispenser and expertly folded the corner of wrapping paper, sealing it in place. She smiled at her handiwork, rather proud at how far she had come since she was a child. Her mother taught her well.

Glancing over, she realized not everyone had gotten better when it came to wrapping presents, evidenced by Inuyasha's catastrophe. He currently attempted to tape together an odd-shaped gift for their friend, Shippo, but he was having no luck in making it look pretty.

Sango suddenly exhaled deeply, pushing away her latest gift into her growing pile. "Well, I'm ready for some more hot cocoa." She stood up from where she had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, stretching her arms high over her head to loosen the muscles. "Anyone else want some?"

"Sure," Kagome replied, handing her cup over, as well as Inuyasha's when he distractedly agreed.

"Come on, Miroku," Sango urged, nudging him with her foot. "Help me in the kitchen."

"But I'm not done wrapping my gift yet," he protested, proceeding to fold another corner.

Sango swiftly kicked him again. "I can't carry four cups by myself."

Pouting, he slowly climbed to his feet and grabbed their mugs. "I've only finished half of my gifts. This is going to take all night!"

"Oh, quit complaining. It's not our fault you take your sweet time," Sango berated him as they ventured into the kitchen, the sounds of their conversation fading.

Kagome smiled and turned to Inuyasha, who was still struggling with his present. "Some things never change," she murmured, shaking her head affectionately. "Here, let me help."

"No, I got it," he assured, attempting to pull apart a piece of tape that had somehow stuck to itself.

She rolled her eyes at his pride. "Inuyasha, at least let me show you. That way you can do it yourself next time."

He opened his mouth to refuse her help again, but at the same time managed to tear the paper wide open, resulting in having to start all over.

Kagome smiled warmly. "Let me."

Scooting closer, she tore the paper off and began again. She folded the edges of his present neatly, her nimble fingers working quickly to tape it together. Inuyasha crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath that he was doing just fine and didn't need any help.

While he watched her work, he suddenly turned to her and asked, "Hey, what do you want for Christmas, Kagome?"

She raised her brows with surprise, sparing him a glance. "You haven't finished all your shopping yet?"

"Nah. I still have Miroku and Sango to do, but the rest are done."

"Yeah, I still have a few to pick up, too," she hummed in agreement.

"You didn't answer my question."

She looked up at him innocently. "Hm?"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

She shrugged and turned back to wrapping the gift. "Nothing really."

He furrowed his brows with surprise. "Nothing?" he parroted. "You always have a Christmas list made out in July. What do you mean 'nothing'?"

"I just don't want anything this year. Is that a crime?"

He didn't miss the light blush that dusted her cheeks. "Uh, yeah, for you it is. What's going on—?"

"Here we are!" Miroku exclaimed as he and Sango suddenly reappeared, effectively interrupting Kagome and Inuyasha's conversation, which Kagome was all too happy for.

After all, how could she tell him what she _really_ wanted for Christmas?

Sango handed her a cup of hot cocoa, which Kagome quickly took a sip, relishing in the warm chocolate taste and sweet hint of marshmallow. "Perfect, as always."

"So, did you guys finish your holiday shopping?" Sango asked as she took a break from wrapping gifts.

"We were just talking about that. I still have Souta to buy for, but he should be easy." Kagome curled her hands around her mug and sighed. "My gramps will be hard, though. I never know what to buy him."

As the conversation turned to brainstorming ideas of what to buy for the rest of their family and friends, Kagome could feel Inuyasha stealing glances at her. Her answer to his question had left him confused, and contrary to popular belief, Inuyasha wasn't as dense as he seemed.

ACS

December twenty-fourth rolled around, and just like many years before, Kagome found herself at Sango's place to celebrate. However, she wasn't really in much of a partying mood, even after a few glasses of eggnog.

She had Inuyasha to thank for that.

It had been a week and Kagome still hadn't told him what she wanted for Christmas. Time was quickly running out, and at this rate, he had told her she would be receiving her present late. Not many stores were open on Christmas, and it was already seven o'clock at night.

Determined to avoid him and his insistent questioning, Kagome had ducked into a different room or another crowd all night. It was rather exhausting, not leaving much energy for actually enjoying the party.

Finally, she had given up on evading him. Curled up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fire place, she gazed at the hearth absently. She listened to the low hum of Christmas music playing in the background, sometimes drowned out by the laughter of some of the guests.

Over the years, the parties at Sango's place had grown. Extended relatives joined in, some newly married or recent parents, as well as neighbors or friends whose family had all passed and had nowhere to go. Sango's home was a place of solace during the holidays. After all, no one should be alone on Christmas.

Inuyasha suddenly plopped down next to her, effectively startling her, but when she realized who it was, she smiled. "Having a good time?" she greeted him.

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

She nodded her head behind her to where his half-brother and his girlfriend were speaking with Ms. Higurashi. "How do you feel about Kagura?"

" _Keh_ ," he scoffed, following her gaze. "She's all right. Sesshomaru's more tolerable when she's around, so that's nice."

Kagome laughed. "Yeah, I can see how she can keep him in line."

Silence fell over them as Kagome sipped on her cocoa. She stole glances at Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. He wore a red cashmere sweater that fit snug in all the right places and he had pushed up his sleeves to his elbows due to how warm it was inside.

God, did he look _good._

"So…" Inuyasha prodded hesitantly, pulling Kagome's gaze back to his own. "Are you ever going to answer my question?"

She already knew what he was referring to. Averting her gaze to her cup of hot chocolate, she watched the marshmallows float in the milky-brown. "I already told you."

"That wasn't a real answer." He wrapped his arms around her bent legs, resting his chin on her knees.

She looked into his amber eyes, flecked with firelight, and affectionately tousled his hair. "I don't want anything," she tried again, hoping to ward him off with a smile.

He didn't buy it. "Liar." He pulled her hand free from his hair and held it. "I'm serious. What's going on?"

Kagome swallowed hard past the lump in her throat, feeling her stomach pool with unfamiliar warmth and the feel of Inuyasha's calloused hands against her own. She felt heat flush her cheeks, and it wasn't from the warmth of the fire. "Inuyasha…"

His hand tightened around hers. "Tell me, Kagome. What do you want for Christmas?"

She wasn't sure where her courage came from, but she suddenly found herself taking the proverbial leap of faith. So while staring into the amber eyes that gave her butterflies, in a small, breathy whisper, she spoke a single word.

"You."


	6. My Only Wish (This Year)

A/N: I'm hoping to push out one more chapter for you guys by the end of the year, but no promises. But here is a little Christmas present for everyone. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and I'm sending the best wishes and good tidings your way!

Many thanks to my beta for being so quick with her edits, especially during the holidays :)

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 6: **My Only Wish (This Year)  
 _(Part 2 of 2)_

Inuyasha knew he was blushing.

He wasn't entirely sure as to _why_ – maybe it was from his confusion, the warmth of the fire, or perhaps the inkling thought in the back of his mind that he couldn't quite admit to – but he could feel the blush creep up his neck and flush his cheeks.

Brown eyes nervously blinked up at him. It took a few moments for her answer to sink in. He watched her curl her hands tighter around her cup of hot chocolate as he furrowed his brows, not really sure how to respond.

"Kagome, what do you mean—"

"Come on, Kagome!" Sango suddenly appeared beside them, effectively drawing their attention. She laughed and pulled eagerly on Kagome's arm. "Shippo's here!"

Sending Inuyasha a wavering glance, Kagome hesitantly stood and greeted Sango with a shaky smile. "It's about time," she offered facetiously, allowing Sango to pull her away.

That was nearly an hour ago. Kagome's answer played over and over again in his mind. Inuyasha's eyes were drawn across the room to where she laughed with Sango and Shippo about something, throwing her head back as her obsidian hair shined under the lights of the tree.

Her answer had left him baffled.

"Dude, you're killing my Christmas spirit," Miroku said as he sauntered up to him, clapping a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and grinning up at him. "You look constipated."

"I'm thinking," he grumbled in return.

"Ah, that explains it."

Inuyasha shrugged off his hand. "You're one to talk."

Taking note of his friend's odd behavior, Miroku followed his gaze to where Kagome and Sango stood. "The girls look beautiful tonight, don't they?"

It was true, but Inuyasha only had eyes for one girl that evening. Kagome had her hair pinned back by a glittery star barrette, and she wore a long beige cardigan sweater coupled with some Christmas leggings. "Uh, yeah," Inuyasha agreed, clearing his throat.

Miroku took a sip of his eggnog. "Something on your mind?"

Heat seared his cheeks as Inuyasha slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks, wondering if he should really confide in Miroku. After all, the lecher never took anything seriously and would probably laugh at him. But as Miroku continued to wait patiently, and considering Inuyasha had no one else to talk to about it, he finally relented and sighed, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"I asked Kagome what she wanted for Christmas."

"And?"

"She said 'you'."

Miroku chuckled and shook his head. "Me?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "No, not you, stupid. 'You'. As in _me_."

He stopped mid-sip and raised his brows. "Oh."

"' _Oh'_." Amber eyes glared at him incredulously. "That's all you got for me?"

"What would you like me to say?"

He shrugged. "I don't get it. What did she mean by that?"

Miroku grinned. "Inuyasha, she meant that she wants _you_ for Christmas. As in, she wants to date you."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and his throat ran dry. "D-Date me?"

"Yeah. She wants you to take her out, hold hands with her, kiss her… you know."

A pit formed in the pit of his stomach as the burning realization that Kagome wanted him – _him of all people_ – sank in. "I… Uh… What am I supposed to do?"

"Ah, my poor man. That is the question to end all questions." He placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "But only you can answer that. Do you want to date her, too?"

Inuyasha thought about it, reflecting on his relationship with Kagome. He had never really given dating her much thought, because Kagome was always simply _there_. She had always been nearby, immersing herself in his life anyways possible. But wasn't that what best friends were _supposed_ to do? Wasn't it all just them being really good friends?

"I-I don't know."

Miroku shrugged. "Not many men do. But think of it this way – if another man came along and swept her off her feet, would you be okay with that?"

 _No. Definitely not._

"Miroku, my boy! Come here!" a drunk Mushin called from across the room.

Miroku lifted his glass in acknowledgement before returning his attention to Inuyasha. "Just don't lead her along. Give her an answer, and soon."

Left to his thoughts, Inuyasha turned back to watching Kagome as she laughed beneath the Christmas tree, her eyes shining like starlight.

It had always been easy with Kagome. He never had to think about what he said or what he did, because she didn't care. She never judged him. But now he felt his throat tighten and his heartbeat quicken. He suddenly felt like the only thing that would come out of his mouth would be word vomit.

 _Well, crap._

ACS

The evening had quickly gone from bad to worse.

Kagome nibbled on her thumbnail nervously as she stood by the front windows, watching the snow cover the street in white. Confessing to Inuyasha about her feelings had never been on her agenda that evening – _or ever for that matter._ It had unintentionally slipped out, and now she would give anything to take it back.

The way he _looked_ at her made her internally groan. He looked at her as if she had grown a second head! Was it that much of a shock that she had fallen for her best friend? That she had fallen for _him_?"

"So stupid," she quietly berated herself.

How could she have been so careless? Developing feelings for Inuyasha had been a dangerous thing to begin with. After all, if he didn't feel the same way, their relationship would alter forever. She wasn't sure if they would be able to share the carefree relationship again that they had up until now.

Her feelings hung like the proverbial elephant in the room, and God she didn't want to deal with that.

 _Can you say awkward?_

But… Kagome couldn't deny that she felt a weight had been lifted off her chest. She had fallen for him a couple of years before and had never done anything about it. Part of her always wondered if he felt the same, or if her feelings were simply one-sided.

Now, her secret was out, and the ball was in his court. Whatever happened, she would deal with it. If he rejected her, it would be okay. She would grant him a smile, and years from now they would be able to laugh about the little 'puppy love' she once had for him.

Suddenly, Inuyasha's reflection appeared in the window, and Kagome stiffened, her eyes growing wide. He furrowed his brows, watching as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Her reaction made him nervous, but after a moment, her shoulders relaxed the slightest. "Look, Inuyasha," she said smoothly.

He followed her gaze. "It's snowing," he replied lamely.

She hummed her agreement. "It's going to be a white Christmas."

Inuyasha crossed his arms, taking note of her empty hands. "No hot chocolate?" he asked, surprised.

Kagome still refused to look at him. "Ran out. Sango went to get more."

"Hn."

They fell into an awkward silence, watching the blizzard coat the world in white. He could feel Kagome's anxiety coming off her in waves. Finally, she cleared her throat and said, "I should see what's taking Sango so long," as she turned to leave.

"Wait."

His words made her pause.

He shifted his feet nervously. "Did you mean it?"

Kagome worried her bottom lip before exhaling a shaky breath. He glanced down at her, watching the array of emotions across her face, and she closed her eyes. "What if I did?" she whispered meekly.

His heart felt like it was beating right out of his chest.

As the silence dragged on, she swallowed her nerves. "I'm sorry." She shook her head with a humorless laugh. "This was silly. Forget I said anything. We can just go back to being best friends and pretend as if this never happened—"

He suddenly took her hand in his, cutting her off, and pulled her to him.

"Ask me."

She quickly spun around, turning wide eyes on him – _finally looking at him._ "W-What?"

Looking into her eyes made his courage suddenly disappear, no longer a lion, but a small mouse. Now he understood why she had avoided him. He tried to ignore the pit in his stomach as he worked to form words. It was now or never. "Ask me what I want for Christmas."

She wrung her hands together apprehensively. "Inuyasha, I don't think—"

"Just ask me," he demanded gruffly, flushing pink.

Kagome sighed deeply and stepped closer to him, tightening her hand around his. "Okay. What do you want for Christmas, Inuyasha?"

He lifted his hand and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, listening as her breath caught. "You," he whispered, amber eyes flickering between hers. "I didn't know it until now, but it's you, Kagome."

Speechless, Kagome stared up at him, unsure if she heard him correctly. He ran the pad of his thumb over her cheek, waiting with bated breath for her to say something – _anything_ – that would calm his racing heart.

So enthralled with each other, Inuyasha and Kagome didn't hear their friends approach. Sango returned with some hot chocolate, with Miroku in tow, and they happened upon the couple staring deep into each other's eyes.

Sango suddenly stopped short, all laughter gone, as Miroku ran into her with an audible "oof".

"What was that for?" he grumbled, expertly steadying his cups of cooca, making sure not to spill a drop. "I almost—"

"Shh," she quieted him, nodding with her head in Kagome and Inuyasha's direction. "Look."

Miroku followed her gaze, his eyes lighting up with amusement at seeing their friend's position, and grinned mischievously. "Ah, seems as though Inuyasha finally manned up."

The brunette raised a brow quizzically. "Meaning?"

He ignored her, instead calling out to them with, "You have to kiss!"

His voice effectively caught them unaware, bringing them back down to earth, as they turned startled eyes on the newcomers. Realizing what he said, Kagome turned bright red, hands flying to her cheeks to hide her blush. "Wh-What?!"

Using one hand holding a mug of hot chocolate, Miroku grinned and pointed above them. "Mistletoe," he explained. "You're standing beneath mistletoe. Tradition says you have to kiss."

Sango's mouth dropped open. "Miroku!" she hissed. "They don't have to—"

"Ah, but it's tradition, dear," he said with a smug smile.

Inuyasha and Kagome gazed upward, blushing profusely, and sure enough there hung a bough of mistletoe.

"Whoever stuck that mistletoe up is a real jerk," Kagome mumbled, folding her arms over her chest.

Fidgeting with his shirt collar, Inuyasha shot Miroku a glare. "Oh, I have an idea," he grumbled, as Miroku attempted to hide his snickering. Shaking his head with a sigh, he followed up with, "Well, guess we should get it over with."

Panicking, Kagome waved her hands in front of her in protest. "Ah, we… uh… we really don't have to," she tried to tell Inuyasha, still not over his confession only moments earlier.

He averted his gaze to the window, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Yeah… but, uh, it's tradition, right?"

He knew Miroku would never let him hear the end of this one.

Brown eyes flickered up to him with surprise. "Yeah, but traditions change." Kagome was attempting to give him a way out – _and perhaps herself, too_ – because although she had fantasized about kissing Inuyasha, she was not prepared to actually, well, _kiss him_.

Inuyasha took a step closer to her and watched as she squeezed her eyes shut, keeping her head down and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. He thought back on the years he spent with Kagome. She had done more for him than he could ever hope for, and then some.

He recalled a frigid Christmas Eve only a year ago, where she sat wrapped beneath a blanket beside him in front of the fire. She would never know how much that night meant to him, simply having her there in that big empty house. Perhaps that's when he knew his feelings for her had grown. He just never acknowledged it.

Because that's when he knew for sure Kagome loved him in some way. She always figured out what he needed and gave it to him – without asking.

Placing his hand beneath her chin, Inuyasha guided her gaze to his own. Her wide eyes were full of panic, with a hint of excitement, but warm like hot chocolate on a cold, winter night.

"Some traditions should stay the same."

He placed his lips gently upon hers, and the rest of the room fell away. He kissed her slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. It was just a simple chaste kiss, but an explosion of warmth filled him from the tips of his ears to the tips of his toes.

Slowly, Inuyasha pulled away, resting his forehead against hers to steady himself. His breath came short and his head spun. He could barely form a coherent thought as he watched her eyes slowly open in a daze. He smiled softly down at her.

"Merry Christmas, Kagome."


	7. Carol of the Bells

A/N: I know this is a little later, but it's still December 1st by me. And many thanks to my beta! We both worked tirelessly to make sure this chapter was ready on time to be posted. Hope you enjoy!

For Wenchster.

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 7: **Carol of the Bells

Inuyasha pulled his scarf snug around his neck as he shuffled out of Sango's house and into the bitter winter air. He shoved his mitten-clad hands into his coat pockets, ignoring the merry nature of his friends trudging behind him.

He was anything but merry right now.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, sidling up next to him and looping her arm through his.

" _Keh_ ," he scoffed in reply. "Do I even have to answer that?"

She smiled brightly and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Oh, come on, it'll be fun."

"I'm not singing," he refused for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. He honestly didn't know what his friends were thinking coming up with a plan like this. And furthermore, how in the hell did he get wrapped up in it?

Kagome jutted out her lip in a pout. "But everyone is going to be singing."

"Yeah, I bet you have the voice of an angel," their friend Shippo called out, his green eyes glinting mischievously.

"I am _not_ singing." Inuyasha made a mental note to throttle the kid later. "Explain to me why we're doing this again?" he grumbled. His toes were already beginning to freeze.

" _The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear,"_ Kagome pledged with a laugh.

He stopped walking and looked at her. "Did you just quote Buddy the Elf?"

"Stop being such a scrooge," Sango chimed in as her and Miroku caught up with them. "We haven't gone Christmas caroling since we were kids."

"Correction, _you_ haven't gone Christmas caroling since you were kids," he amended. "I, on the other hand, never had to go through that torture."

"I wasn't torture," Sango scoffed. "We actually enjoyed going caroling. The Christmas songs, the bells, the hot chocolate…"

Miroku chuckled. "We're going with some other people," he reminded Inuyasha. "You can just mouth the words and I'm sure no one will notice."

"Absolutely not," Kagome interfered. "You can't spread Christmas spirit unless _everybody_ is singing."

"Well, I don't have any Christmas spirit, so you're outta luck." He folded his arms over his chest and sneered. "I don't understand why anyone would want to walk around in the freezing cold, bothering people, and singing off-key."

Kagome frowned and shot him a glare. "It's actually really fun, if you give it a chance."

"I'm already miserable, so why torment myself?"

"Why are you always such a cynic?"

He balked and glowered at her. "Am not!"

"Are too!" she barbed, pulling away from him and clenching her fists.

"Now, now, you two," Miroku attempted to interfere. "This is supposed to be an enjoyable night full of Christmas spirit."

"Let's just enjoy ourselves," Sango chimed in, resting a reassuring hand on Kagome's shoulder. "This isn't the time for fighting."

Kagome scowled at Inuyasha before she clucked her tongue and turned away. "They're right," she said, storming on ahead. "I'm not going to let your anti-Christmas attitude ruin the night."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as they passed by the town square and reached the church. A small group had already gathered near the door as the Father passed out booklets full of Christmas songs. A few classmates had shown up, along with some parents and their young children.

"Here you go, Inuyasha," Kagome snipped as she handed him a song book.

He glanced over the red cover that had a picture of a Christmas tree, and then quickly flipped through the book that had approximately twenty songs. "This is stupid."

Sango shot him a warning glare. He quickly shut his mouth, not wanting to be at the receiving end of her wrath.

"All right," Kagome said, clapping her hands together with a smile. "Are we all bunded up? Got our hand warmers and our thermoses of hot chocolate?"

Shippo pulled out a bag of hand warmers with a grin, as Miroku held up three thermoses filled with cocoa. "Prepared and ready, Captain!" Sango cheered.

"Hey, Kagome!" a voice called, drawing their attention to a sandy-haired boy their age walking toward them.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. _Hobo…_

"Hi, Hojo," Kagome greeted their classmate warmly. "I didn't know you would be here."

"Every year." He handed her and Sango some extra candles he had. "I help out at the church whenever I have some free time."

"Of course you do," Inuyasha mumbled under his breath.

Miroku leaned over. "Tell me again why you don't like him?"

Inuyasha had his reasons. Like Hojo always flirting with Kagome, or giving her presents, or offering to help her study. _Keh._ He was always hanging around when he wasn't wanted. Inuyasha wasn't jealous or anything. No, of course not. The kid was just _annoying._ Even worse than Shippo. At least the red-head was tolerable.

Deciding to stay silent, Inuyasha folded his arms and continued to sulk.

"This will be fun!" Kagome said as Hojo lit her candle from his.

That smile he gave her made Inuyasha's skin crawl.

"Are we gonna get goin' yet?" he barked. "I'm going to freeze to death."

Kagome frowned, but said nothing. "Ah, yes, Inuyasha," Hojo replied, gesturing with his hand toward a blue pickup filled with blankets and a bag of toys for the children they met along the way. He turned to address the rest of the group. "The truck is all packed up. Go ahead and pile in. I'll be right there."

As the group began shuffling toward the truck, Kagome leaned over and lit Sango's candle. "You know, Inuyasha, you could be a little nicer," Kagome said off-handedly. "Hojo didn't do anything wrong."

"As if. That kid has been making goo-goo eyes at you since the third grade."

Kagome sighed. "No need to get jealous. He's not my type."

He blushed furiously, mouth dropping open. "W-Well I would hope not, since you're _my_ girlfriend."

"You're right." A small smile wormed its way onto her lips. "I'm _yours._ "

She folded herself against his side as he looped an arm around her shoulders. He placed a kiss to the top of her head. It was something about those two words that made his stomach do flip-flops. There was nothing in the world that made him feel the way he did when she said that.

Kagome made him happy, even though they fought sometimes. She made him laugh. She was smart. She was different. She was a little crazy and awkward, but her smile alone could make his day.

 _That's right, Kagome,_ he thought as he pulled her tighter against him. _You're mine._

ACS

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way," the group sang hours later at another house covered in Christmas lights. Inuyasha had begrudgingly mumbled along with the words, but didn't do so with cheer, much to Kagome's disdain. As they wrapped up their caroling, moving onto the next house, he groaned in discomfort.

"Here," Kagome said, handing him some hand warmers and a thermos of hot cocoa. "Warm up a bit before we get to the next street."

He stuffed the hand warmers into his pockets, and took a few sips of cocoa, relishing in the warmth pooling in his stomach. "How much longer are we going to be out here?"

She shrugged. The truck had taken some of the children back home a long time ago, the little ones too cold to finish. "I think this might be the last block."

He wrinkled his nose, which had long ago become numb. He made a mental note to never let them drag him out caroling again. He stamped his feet to keep them warm as the group shuffled onward. Miroku and Sango had their arms linked, heads bent together whispering, while Shippo hung around near the front, joking with one of the other kids from the neighborhood.

Inuyasha didn't understand why nobody else seemed bothered by the cold.

They stopped in front of a white house with a red door as everyone flipped through their song books to the tune Hojo had selected. The soft harmony of _The First Noel_ filled the sky, as the carolers in the back hit bells softly against their hands to give a tinkling ring into the night.

After a minute, a young woman opened the door. Her brown hair was frazzled and unkempt, dark circles under her eyes, as the sounds of children screaming could be heard from within the house.

"Please, no carolers tonight," she begged. "I-I'm trying to get the kids to bed."

The carolers stopped singing, Hojo nodding his head in apology. "Of course. Sorry to disturb you. Merry Christmas."

Before she could shut the door, a little boy appeared, pulling at his mother's dress insistently. "Toshi took my toy!" he screamed at her, red-faced and crying. Another boy from within the house yelled back with indignation.

The mother obviously seemed overwhelmed as her children appeared, each one asking her a question or peeking their heads out curiously to see who was at the door. They ranged from toddlers to young teenagers, all misbehaving and causing their mother a lot of grief.

It had been more than two years since Inuyasha had lost his own mother, but sometimes he was caught unaware, during moments like this, and he was flooded with memories of her.

" _Behave, Inuyasha," Izayoi said with her back to him._

 _He stomped his feet and pouted. "But mama, I want that toy!"_

 _She turned to look at him, dark hair sweeping over her shoulders. "You know about Christmas, don't you?"_

" _Of course!"_

" _Well, then you know about Santa Claus, right?"_

 _He nodded his head eagerly._

" _Then you better watch out."_

" _Why, mama?"_

 _She smiled, a shine coming to her eyes. "Because Santa Claus is coming to town."_

A shouted cry from one of the kids startled Inuyasha out of his memories. As the mother struggled with her young ones, looking on the verge of crying, he couldn't take it anymore. Finally, Inuyasha stepped forward, kneeling down to the boy's height. "Hey," he called out, effectively drawing the children's attention and silencing them. He glanced over them before setting his sights on the boy, still clinging to his mother's dress. "Do you guys know about Christmas?"

The boy nodded, side-stepping to hide behind his mother.

"Well, then you know about Santa Claus, right?"

They all nodded their heads, their interest piqued as they moved to look out at the strangers on their doorstep.

"Are you being good for your mom?"

The children didn't answer, looking up guiltily at the woman whose gaze was fixated curiously on the man before her.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Oh man, that doesn't sound good. You better watch out."

"Why?" one of the girls asked, pulling at the hem of her shirt.

He scoffed. "Cause Santa Claus is coming to town, that's why."

Kagome, who had been standing back and watching Inuyasha with a warm expression, had an idea and quickly told the carolers around her to flip to a different song. In a soft voice that rippled through the group, she sang, "You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why…"

As they began singing, Inuyasha joining in as he handed each of the children a toy, the kids all looked on with wonder, scampering outside to join in, listening to the words and singing along – their eyes bright, their smiles wide, giggling as Inuyasha sang off-tune and stumbled over a verse.

"Santa Claus is comin' to town!"

As the last of the song faded, Inuyasha chuckled at the look of excitement in the children's eyes. "Now, Santa is going to be here in a few days," he warned them gently. "So you need to be good for your mom. Otherwise, Santa is only going to give you coal for Christmas."

The absolute horror on the kids' faces made him grin, as they each turned to apologize to their mother. She patted their heads, smiling down at them, as they ran back inside to get ready for bed.

And then she turned teary eyes to Inuyasha as he stood, clasping her hands around one of his. "Thank you," she said, giving him a smile, before returning inside to the warmth of her home and shutting the door behind her.

There was a stillness in the air as he turned around to look at the other carolers. Each one was looking at him with a stupid grin on their face. He frowned. "What?"

"You're such a softie," Shippo laughed.

Miroku joined in. "What a teddy bear."

"All bark and no bite," Sango added.

Inuyasha furrowed his brows and stormed toward them. "I am not!"

Kagome linked her arm through his before he could grab a hold of one of their friends – who all took off in the other direction – and looked up at him. Her cheeks pink from the cold, she smiled. "That was really kind of you, Inuyasha. I think you just gave that family the best present of all."

" _Keh._ And what's that?"

"The hope of Christmas spirit, good cheer, and a smile."

He blushed under her praise, shuffling forward with the rest of the group. And for the first time that night, he didn't complain about the cold or the long walk home. He didn't argue about the songs, and sang louder than everyone else the rest of the way home.

He pictured that mother, her warm smile of appreciation, and the wonder reflected in the eyes of her children.

And as they finished caroling for the night, a small voice in the back of his head admitted that Christmas caroling wasn't so bad after all.

ACS

Inuyasha pushed open the door to his house, letting Kagome escape inside from the cold before shutting the door behind him. They peeled the layers of their clothes away, hanging their coats and scarves on the hooks in the entry way. Kagome shivered, running her hands up and down her arms.

"I'll start a fire," he offered, stepping toward the living room.

"Sounds great. I'll make us come hot chocolate." She disappeared into the kitchen.

He knelt to start setting wood on the grate, and with a few flicks of a match, a small fire began to burn. He stepped back and sat on the couch, eyes watching the flames grow to life, licking the wood hungrily and bringing warmth to the room.

Amber eyes turned, sweeping over the emptiness of the living room. His father was working late again, and Sesshomaru had moved out over the summer. Kagome had bought some new Christmas stockings that hung with care over the fireplace. She had briefly mentioned early in December about putting up a Christmas tree, but Inuyasha had refused. He didn't have the heart to go through their Christmas decorations just yet.

 _Izayoi swept across the living room, dressed in an over-sized Christmas sweatshirt, hanging glittering ornaments on the tree._

 _Inuyasha gazed into the box filled with Christmas wonder, his little hands grabbing at the plastic ones that looked like little toys._

" _You want to help me, Inuyasha?" his mother called, bending down to look into the box with him. "Why don't you hang some of these for me?"_

 _He nodded his head eagerly, carefully hanging one of the ornaments near the bottom of the tree where he could reach. The ornament, a plastic rocking horse with small beady eyes, twirled on its string, reflecting the lights of the Christmas tree._

 _Izayoi's tinkling laughter filled the room, and he looked up at her curiously. "What are you laughing at?"_

 _She smiled down at him. "Laughter comes from joy, and I'm just very happy right now. Good things just feel good, Inuyasha."_

 _He gave her a curious stare, the soft tunes of 'Oh Come All Ye Faithful' playing over the radio._

"Here you go," Kagome's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to see her standing beside him with two mugs of hot cocoa, reaching one out to him. She took a seat beside him, pulling an old red-checkered blanket over their laps, and snuggled up next to him.

He draped an arm over her shoulders as he sipped on his hot chocolate, eyes turning distant as he watched the flames curl and sway, crackling as they burned the dry wood. It felt good to feel their warmth, shying away the cold empty feeling of the house.

"I just don't feel the spirit of it anymore," he finally mumbled.

Kagome looked up at him questioningly. "The spirit of Christmas?"

He furrowed his brows. "Ever since my mother died, I just… I just don't feel it. It's like when she left, she took it with her."

She bit her lip, taking a glance over his barren living room. "Izayoi always did love Christmas."

He nodded his head. "She did. It was her favorite time of the year." He sipped his hot cocoa quietly for a moment, and then he added, "But tonight, I felt it again. When we were out there singing to those kids, seeing their smiles, how grateful their mom was…" He paused, trying to find the right words to describe what he was feeling. "I haven't been the same since my mother died. But tonight, just for a moment, it was like she was still here. Like I'd come home and she'd be singing Christmas music as she decorated the tree."

Kagome sighed deeply, smiling warmly up at him. "She's still here," she reminded softly, laying a hand over his chest. "She'll always be here."

He granted her a smile, kissing the top of her head as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

As the fireplace mimicked warmth the house had long forgotten, Inuyasha and Kagome sat cozy by the flame, their features illuminated by the flickering light. He could smell the hint of pine as it burned, just a faint fragrance to reassure their comfort during the long, bitter winter.

And as they finished their hot chocolate, Kagome falling into a quite doze beside him, Inuyasha felt a sense of warmth spread through him, beginning where his heart beat softly in his chest.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," he whispered, amber eyes glistening as he stared into the crackling evening fire.

" _Merry Christmas, my Inuyasha."_


	8. Falling in Love at Christmas

**A/N:** Special thanks to my beta for editing this on Christmas morning last minute. Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!

For Wenchster.

 **A Christmas Story  
Chapter 8: **Falling in Love at Christmas

Kagome frowned and puffed out her cheeks, narrowing her eyes at the man towering over her. "But Inuyasha," she began, a growing list of excuses already perched on the tip of her tongue.

He silenced her with a shake of his head. "No buts," he replied, pulling on his jacket and looping his gray scarf around his neck. "You've been stressed out for months, Kagome. Tonight is supposed to be stress-free. Just trust me."

Still unhappy with their plans for the evening, she begrudgingly followed him out of the house, stomping her boots rather childishly through the snow. Deep down, she had to admit she had been feeling very disorganized as of late. Months ago, she would've had plenty of time to hang out with her friends and study for school. But recently, it felt like her schedule had been stretched to its limits – like she had to squeeze in time for everything.

Inuyasha had taken note of her anxiety rather quickly, used to being on the receiving end of her short-tempered responses. Once school had finished for the semester, he had forced her to keep an entire Saturday night open to spend time alone together – just the two of them.

Gnawing on her thumbnail restlessly, she stayed quiet as the soft tunes of Christmas music played over the stereo in his beat-up red Ford truck. Glittering lights flashed by the window as they drove to a nearby pond that always froze over during this time of year.

Under a black marble sky, Kagome climbed out of the truck and surveyed the area. People already mingled together around the rim of the pond, some making snow angels or having snowball fights, others huddled together to enjoy cups of hot chocolate they had purchased from a vendor nearby. A few had taken advantage of the seasonal ice rink, spinning expertly or helping their children wobble along the sides.

"I'm not really up for this," she grumbled, folding her arms around herself, not at all in the mood for the cold weather.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. It wasn't like Kagome to be so uptight during the holidays. He figured something must be on her mind, but she wasn't one to divulge her secrets so willingly. If he couldn't fix whatever it was that bothered her, the least he could do was get her mind off of it for a few hours.

He pulled out two pairs of skates he had stashed behind the driver's seat. Kagome's eyes widened. "Ice skating?"

"Yeah," he said, locking up and trudging over to one of the benches that framed the pond. "We never had a chance to go last year."

She frowned, skeptically looking between the pond and the rusty old pair of skates that had been buried in her closet for close to two years. "I'm out of practice. I'll probably fall."

"Nah, I'll be there," he assured, sitting down and slipping off his boots. "But if you fall, we'll fall together."

A rosy tint grew in her cheeks as she slowly lowered herself onto the cold bench beside him. She looked out across the smiling faces of the other townsfolk, laughing cheerfully and enjoying the winter weather. The small hills in the distance remained practically untouched, the lights bordering the pond sparkling off the blanket of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. Everyone had donned their winter coats, each hue darker and richer than the next, a stark contrast against the snow-covered trees.

Inuyasha finished lacing up his skates before turning to her expectantly. Kagome huffed with reluctance and slid on her skates, which he quickly began to lace up.

"I can do it," she mumbled.

"I know."

Her heart pounded in her chest like reindeer hooves as his fingers skimmed the flesh of her ankle, his warm breath mingling with her own as he bent his head close to hers. Confusion fluttered just beneath the surface of her troubled thoughts. Her puppy-dog love for Inuyasha had changed and she didn't know why or how. They had been together for the better part of almost two years, but it felt different now, and she had begun to wonder if they had a future together – not just a future in the spring, but a future that would last a lifetime.

She had confessed her feelings to Sango a few weeks ago, and the brunette had laughed.

" _You're in love with him, aren't you?"_ And although Kagome had chuckled and waved it aside, she had never actually answered Sango's question.

 _Was_ she in love with Inuyasha? Was this what love felt like? Did… Did he feel the same way? Or was she still just a crush to him?

"Kagome, you comin'?"

She snapped out of her thoughts to see Inuyasha had stood and held out his hand to help her up. She blushed and took his offered gesture before they both staggered over to the entrance of the pond. She tried to keep her legs as steady as possible as she stepped out onto the rink, trying to get used to the friction of the ice beneath her feet. Inuyasha wrapped his hand tightly around hers, letting her hold onto the edge for balance.

Kagome clutched onto the side, people flying past as she attempted to hobble along. She was frightened, her body stiff, making it hard to have a fluid movement with her skates. "Loosen up," Inuyasha instructed as he glided easily next to her.

She sent him a cold glare, mentally cursing his ice hockey habits from when he was a kid. He had only played for one season, but his skills from skating had stuck with him since then. Every year, ice skating was just like riding a bike for him.

"I don't want to fall," she bit back, a tad annoyed at his easy-going attitude right now.

He scoffed. "You can't be afraid to fall," he said, pulling her free from the wall. "Otherwise you'll never have any fun."

Eyes wide, Kagome watched almost helplessly as the wall moved further away, and she clung to Inuyasha's arm with a death grip.

He rolled his eyes, gently peeling away her hands and holding her at arm's length. "Just put one skate in front of the other," he coaxed, letting go.

"Inuyasha!" she called after him, arms flapping to keep her balance. "Don't let go!"

He chuckled at her expense. "Come on. Just relax and have fun."

She swallowed thickly, sending him another glare, before taking a deep breath. _I can do this,_ she told herself, working up the courage to start moving her skates.

Kagome precariously skated forward, taking longer and longer strokes, one foot after the other. Then she glided forward a short distance, and slowly her fear began melting away. Inuyasha had disappeared ahead of her, lost in the crowd of other skaters, but she knew he would come back for her. He always did.

She listened to the crunch of metal against ice as she skated around the pond. The murmur of voices and children's laughter reached her ears as other people flew past her. Her thoughts were lost in the blur of wind blowing through her hair, making her feel like she was floating above the ice.

All the stress and anxiety she had felt over the last few months slowly melted away. For the first time in weeks, she felt free – like she was a kid again, gliding across her kitchen floor in her socks.

It brought back memories of years ago, when they had all been innocent children. One particular snowy day had been too cold for them to enjoy the ice rink, so Kagome, Inuyasha, and the rest of their friends gathered at her house to sip on hot cocoa and watch Christmas movies. Her mother had been baking cookies, the warm smell of gingerbread and brown sugar filling the air, as they all curled up on the couch.

She had brought her knees to her chest, feeling the sofa rock beneath her as Inuyasha shifted beside her. The glittering white lights of the Christmas tree sparkled off the linoleum floor and wind howled outside with the first snowfall of winter.

A soft smile came to her lips. The rhythmic pacing of her skates – _ice, metal, crunch, swift, crunch_ – helped her to completely zone out. She forgot why she had been so anxious, forgot her concerns regarding her feelings for Inuyasha, and even forgot how annoyed she had been for being pushed to come here in the first place. She forgot all her troubles, and everyone around her. She focused on the cool night air in her lungs, the icy breeze whispering against her cheeks.

"Watch out!"

Kagome whipped her head around just in time to see a boy in a blue jacket flailing toward her. She screamed and tried to get out of the way, and even though he missed her, the action sent her off-balance. Arms waving in the air like a propeller, she struggled to keep composure, but found the slippery ice too much for her uncoordinated skating skills.

"Kagome!"

Strong arms wrapped around her waist just as she started falling, pulling her toward a warm-bodied chest as they both fell to the ice. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut on impact, but only felt the person underneath her instead of the hard, frozen water.

She looked down to see Inuyasha's amber eyes peering up at her, a hiss of pain escaping his lips. "Kagome… You okay?"

Her eyes widened. "Inuyasha! I'm fine, are you okay?" she asked, glancing over him quickly as she climbed off him and to the side. "Did you hit your head?"

He sat up, rubbing his right shoulder where he took most of the impact. "Nah, I'm fine. Just a little bruised."

"I'm sorry," Kagome began to apologize, feeling terrible for her clumsy balance.

"Not your fault." He nodded his head in the direction of the kid, who was crying to his parents more out of fear than any actual injuries. "Besides." He looked back at her and smirked. "I told you we'd fall together, didn't I?"

Amber eyes glowed from the bright lights surrounding the pond, and Kagome felt her breath catch. People skated around the couple as they sat there on the cold ice, but Kagome didn't feel cold at all. Her stomach pooled with unfamiliar warmth, their breath mingling in their close proximity, her cheeks painted a rosy red, and she leaned in to capture his lips in a kiss.

Caught by surprise, Inuyasha almost fell backwards again, but managed to catch Kagome's weight with his own, and leaned one hand against the ice as another curled into her long, raven hair. The kiss was rough and passionate, so different than what they had shared before.

As they broke apart, breaths shaky and uneven, she looked down at him. "Not that I'm complaining," he said, sitting up straighter with a boyish smile. "But what was that for?"

And just like a Christmas night years ago, Kagome found herself fearless and the words were falling from her lips before she could stop them. "I'm in love with you."

He froze, eyes widening a little in bewilderment. She watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he swallowed hard. "Ka-Kagome…"

She pulled away, fear suddenly clutching at her throat. "S-Sorry, I-I mean…"

Inuyasha furrowed his brows, cupping her cheek with his hand. "Kagome… Is that what's been bothering you lately?"

Her breath hitched. _He knew?_ Inuyasha had never been the perceptive type. He always took everything at face value, and never looked deeper than the surface. But somehow, he had known she had been troubled this entire time. He had _known_ something had been ailing her.

He sighed, smiling as he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "You silly girl. Haven't you been paying attention?"

Kagome's eyes flickered over his with confusion.

"I've loved you since we were kids," he confessed, his face growing warm. "And I've been in love with you since that night under the mistletoe."

She shook her head. "I-I don't understand."

But then, just as those words left her mouth, she suddenly did. All the days he would walk her home from school or silently sit beside her as she studied. All the nights he would wrap her in his arms to comfort her or watch a cheesy romance movie he never cared for.

All the winter evenings, just like tonight, that they would spend together on a cold, starry night.

Her heart eased as she smiled, laughter bubbling in her chest as she realized how silly she really _had_ been. How could she ever doubt that Inuyasha loved her? How could she ever doubt she would spend forever and a day with him?

Before she could say anything, Inuyasha wrapped his hands around her scarf and pulled her in for a kiss.


End file.
